Name of the Game
by cnfzdpsychosis
Summary: Slightly AU, Roxas doesn't remember being part of Organization XIII and Axel resolves to help him remember. Akuroku eventually
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A little while ago my sister asked why I had never written anything particularly long about Axel and Roxas since I had managed semi-long fics for Zexion and Demyx, and for Sky and Bridge. My response: I had a mental wall when it came to writing any akuroku past two pages long. I resolved to break down that damn wall no matter what. I regret that decision now, because I have no idea how long this will be or when any of the upcoming chapters will get written, so please bear with me. Dedicated to A Spot of Bother, since it's her fault I started this thing.

Chapter One

Roxas' eyes narrowed as another peal of laughter erupted from the circle of self-important bastards. At two o'clock in the morning, Roxas was not ready to deal with this type of shit. As far as he could tell, two main people caused the laughter. Some blonde kid with a mullet who seemed to be content to hang all over a blue-haired man of slighter height, and the other was some type of freaky Goth kid with flame-red hair. Heh – flaming. Roxas quietly chuckled at his own joke. God he really needed sleep. But he had promised Sora that he'd go out clubbing with his friend Kairi, making sure that unwanted attention didn't come her way again. Roxas scowled into his drink. Just because his scowl sent people running for their lives… Still, he shouldn't have agreed; he could already tell that he wouldn't be attending class tomorrow…um, today.

"Sorry, but I'm here with someone." Kairi's voice cut clear through the surrounding noise, and in one graceful motion Roxas was at her side. The petite brunette sent him an apologetic smile; Roxas was only called as a last resort for those morons who just didn't get the hint. Turning his gaze to the unwanted visitor, Roxas could see the man visibly shrink under his condescending gaze. Backing away with a stuttered apology, the man all but fled from Roxas' presence. "Thanks," she whispered. "I'm done, but would you mind seeing me into a cab?" Roxas nodded; glad to finally be relieved of his duty.

Walking outside, Roxas hailed a cab, letting Kairi settle comfortably before shutting the door behind her. Turning to walk home, Roxas spared a quick glower at the noisy group that spilled out from the bar before heading down an alley, silently wishing them all a painful death.

"Do you always go around pretending to be someone's boyfriend, or just hers? No, wait…you're a male escort, right?" Roxas whirled in surprise, eyes narrowing at the sight of the red-haired man who seemed content to lean against the wall smoking a cigarette. Roxas glared as the other man regarded him with interest.

"Considering the fact that I don't even know who you are, I don't see how what I do is any of your business," he hissed, turning to walk away.

"But I know you, Roxas." The blonde froze, turning to face the redhead. The man smirked, flicking his now finished cigarette into a puddle.

"How?" Roxas asked, carefully keeping a safe distance from the stranger. The man grinned at his instinctive fear-based response.

"I've been watching you," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Why?" Roxas backed away, trying to keep his breathing steady. The man shrugged, pushing himself off the wall.

"You're an enigma – a walking contradiction. Take tonight, for example. You sacrificed your time just so that girl could have a good time, never mind the fact that you didn't want to do it. You hate crowds, yet you can constantly be found in the most crowded spots. All you want is to be left alone, yet you let your friends drag you everywhere. You insult just about everyone you come across with quick sarcasm and an even quicker tongue. You amuse me," he continued, matching Roxas' steps backwards with his own steps forward. Roxas looked at him incredulously.

"I _amuse_ you? You're fucking stalking me, you psycho! How do you even know all that?" The man let out a laugh, shaking his head with a grin as he pinned Roxas into a corner.

"I've been watching you a long time, Roxas. Longer than you'll ever guess. I know more about you than you know about yourself. Just think of this as a game," he whispered. "I assure you, despite all evidence otherwise, I'm perfectly sane. I know everything about you; I'm giving you a chance to learn about me." He shoved himself away from Roxas, stepping back to look at the slighter boy.

"You –" he gasped, breathing in large breaths of air. The man matched his gaze as confusion and indecision flitted across the blonde's face. Roxas' chest heaved as he labored to breath but the other made no move, waiting his answer. "A game?" Roxas questioned at last. "And you're saying it'll explain everything? Who you are, why you know me, everything?" The man grinned.

"Admit it, Roxas. There are times when you feel you don't belong here, like you're forgetting something important. You feel that there's this huge part of you missing. You know it's not there, but you can never quite remember what it's supposed to be." Roxas' eyes widened as he realized that what he said was right.

"Alright, fine." Roxas said. "I'll play your game."

"Good," the other stated, turning to leave. "By the way," he called back. "The name's Axel. Don't forget it." And tossing something to Roxas, he disappeared.

Catching the thrown item, Roxas stared at the flower in his hand. His brain screamed at him to throw it away; he didn't need to be accepting gifts from insane stalkers. He glowered at the rose in his hand; he wasn't some schoolgirl, yet he felt oddly flattered by the attention. Sighing, Roxas gave one more glare at the rose before heading home, rose in hand.

Watching from the shadows, Axel grinned. The game was set in motion and Axel fully intended to win.

* * *

"So you've got a creepy old stalker?" Kairi asked. She had called to make sure Roxas had gotten home all right and he had let slip what had happened in the alleyway. He sighed into the phone.

"Kairi, he's not creepy…he's a little off balance, but not creepy. And he's our age. Look, he says he knows me, and he was right about how I feel. And…I don't know. I feel like I know him somehow. Besides, it's just a game, Kairi."

"Until he kills you." Kairi snapped. Roxas' temper flared.

"Look, Kairi," he snapped. "Who's been taking care of who, here? Considering the fact that _I_ fight off all of _your_ unwanted attention, I think I can handle my own. We talked for half-an-hour in the alleyway and I'm still alive, so I'd thank-you to let me make my own goddamn decisions." Slamming down the phone, Roxas made sure to block both Kairi's home and cell numbers. It took a lot to make Roxas lose his cool façade, but Kairi had latched on and wiggled underneath his skin. Besides, he didn't need a baby-sitter, or someone to mother him. He knew how to take care of himself.

He was well aware that he and Axel hadn't met in the most conventional way possible, and yes, Axel wasn't one of the most normal people he'd ever met, but reflecting back on the meeting, Axel never tried to touch him and had made no threatening remarks or movements…

Wait a minute – why was he even trying to defend Axel? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Roxas tossed his jacket over the back of the chair and made his way into his bedroom. A good sleep would clear everything up.

"It's just some stupid guy trying to freak you out," he muttered to himself, ignoring the rose he had set on the table in a vase. Somewhat reassured by his muttered declaration, Roxas climbed into bed and fell asleep.

Waking early the next morning, Roxas gasped at the rose that had been placed on his chest. Grabbing it as he sat up, he read the scrawled note that had been tied to the stem – The Name of the Game is Catch and Keep. Slightly unnerved that Axel could get into his apartment so easily, Roxas still couldn't keep a slight smirk off his face as he wondered which one of them was going to get caught.

Reviews please


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, here it is, chapter two. don't ask, don't tell - don't own, don't sue

Chapter Two: The Rules of the Game

Roxas sighed, briefly wondering why he'd even bothered to come to class. His mind was constantly wandering to the two roses that Axel had given him – in fact, that's all that was on his mind. Even while walking to school, Roxas had found imself peeking into dark corners and alleyways before he mentally chastised himself and continued walking.

The blonde sighed heavily, trying to ignore Kairi's frantic gestures, motioning that she wanted to meet him after class. Five minutes, that's all that was left and then he was free for the weekend. No job, no schoolwork (at least none he was going to do), nothing – so long as he could avoid Kairi, and now there was only two minutes left. Roxas would swear to god that the damn clock moved backwards when he wasn't looking at it, and it seemed to stop when he did, but it didn't matter now because the bell had rung and Roxas flew down the hall, sneaking into an empty classroom to hide until the coast was clear.

"Miss me?" Roxas smiled and relaxed as he heard the voice. Axel really shouldn't have this much power over him but he pushed the thought away, turning to face the redhead.

"I'd have to know you better to miss you," he stated calmly. Axel smirked, moving forward, and Roxas was briefly reminded of a panther stalking its prey; but he stood his ground, glaring daggers at the smug look on the other man's face.

"Oh, really?" he asked casually. "Could have sworn I saw you looking for me earlier today," he whispered, walking around Roxas' back. Roxas fought down a blush, glaring all the harder.

"Must have been your imagination," he stated easily, proud to have kept his voice steady. "Don't you have a job or anything better to do with your time, besides watching me?" he asked, turning the door handle in order to leave. Axel placed his hand on top of Roxas', stopping him. At the sudden contact, a brief memory flashed through Roxas' mind but it was gone too quickly for him to catch it.

"Sorry," Axel muttered, dropping his hand and moving away. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There's no clear way to explain it, not right now. There's a lot that you aren't ready to remember right now, but…you are my job. Or at least," he explained, "we worked together. Wherever one goes, so does the other – a package deal. It's written in the Code of Conduct for the Organization." Axel waved his hand dismissively. "Or…something like that. Either way, I have orders to stay with you. I can't go back alone." Roxas stared at him.

"So you _can't_ leave me? At all?" he asked.

"Not if I value my life," Axel responded, laughing bitterly. "And hey, I might not have much of a life, but at least I still have one. But that's not why I came," he stated, shaking his head. "It's time for the rules of the game."

"Rules?" Roxas asked sardonically. "There are rules?" Axel laughed lightly.

"It's a game, Roxas, of course there are rules. I'll explain it over lunch." Roxas smirked.

"Who says I'm having lunch with you?" Axel raised an eyebrow, hands placed on his hips.

"Since when do guys turn down free food?" Roxas tilted his head as if considering the question and Axel sighed. "Relax, we'll be in a restaurant where everyone can see us," he assured, summoning a portal. "Suddenly you don't trust me? It's not like I'm going to rape you or something," he joked.

"I might trust you, but that only extends so far," Roxas answered, and Axel couldn't help but smirk, glad to know Roxas hadn't completely changed; same outward calmness while his brain worked faster than the speed of light.

"Let's go," he said, walking into the portal. Roxas stood in indecision, wanting to follow but unsure as to whether or not he should. However, the decision was soon made for him.

"Roxas! Roxas are you in there?" Kairi yelled, banging on the door. As it flew open, he slowly backed away, his gaze shifting back and forth from Axel to Kairi, who stood gasping open-mouthed at Axel.

"Last chance, Roxas," Axel reminded softly as both he and the portal began to fade. Kairi started, flying into hysterics.

"Roxas, no! You can't trust him. Look at what he's doing, he's not normal!" Axel ignored her, looking questioningly at Roxas, pain evident in his eyes. Roxas had seen that look before and without a second thought, he stepped into the portal, leaving a screaming Kairi behind.

* * *

Entering into a kitchen, Axel briefly nodded to a blue-haired man, one Roxas recognized from the bar. Walking towards the door to the restaurant, the redhead continued to greet various people, people that, as Roxas noted, seemed to be casting curious looks in his general direction.

"Why does everyone keep looking at me like that?" He scowled, sliding into the booth across from Axel.

"You used to work with them," Axel explained. "They're hoping you'll recognize them."

"Why did you even bring me here?" he snapped irritably. "Kairi's going to be in hysterics and I'm likely to get attacked as soon as I enter my door." Axel quirked an eyebrow at Roxas' sudden mood swing.

"I didn't make you come, Roxas. I'm not making you do anything. You're free to come and go as you please, but you agreed to play the game, and there are rules that need to be followed." Axel's tone had shifted to icy steel, and Roxas instantly felt a pang of guilt at having lashed out, but he made no effort to apologize. Instead he met the other's gaze, both holding indifferent stares until their food was set down before them, seconds later.

"So what are the rules, exactly?" Roxas asked, more interested in breaking the tense silence than in the actual rules themselves.

"According to what I've received, you're not allowed to contact me. If you come looking for me, or try to remember anything on your own, you risk exposing the Organization."

"What is this 'Organization', exactly?" Roxas interrupted, tired of references that he knew nothing about.

"The company we work for. It's a government organization, but it's kept secret because of the work we do. No one knows it exists, and we want to keep it that way." Axel finished, pointedly looking at the smaller blonde.

"All right, so I can't contact you. What am I supposed to do, sit around and wait for you to drag me through some random wall to talk to me?" Axel quickly set his silverware down on his plate, glaring at the blonde.

"Portals are the fastest way for us to travel, Roxas. And yes, that's exactly what you're supposed to do. I will tell you what you need to know on a need-to-know basis. Right now, we're concerned with keeping you alive and untraced. If anyone knew that you lost your memory, they wouldn't hesitate to shoot you." Roxas blanched at Axel's last statement.

"Why would they want to shoot me?" Axel sighed heavily, silently cursing himself for talking longer than he should have.

"We're assassins, Roxas. We're not the most favored people in the world." Roxas stared at the redhead, mind-reeling from the information.

"Roxas," Axel whispered, calling him back to earth. "You need to follow these rules. You can never contact me. It's too easy to trace. And don't tell anyone about me, don't mention the Organization, and don't trust anyone you don't know." Roxas stared at the man across from him, the room slowly spinning – but for what reason, he wasn't entirely sure. Axel watched him with a worried expression on his face. "Roxas, I know it's a lot to hear; I shouldn't have told you this much so soon. Let's get you home," he muttered, moving to pull the blonde out of the booth. Roxas nodded, moving to stand and immediately passing out.

"Axel, what's going on?" Zexion called from the kitchen.

"I don't know, but come help me with him," he responded, lifting the lithe body. The blue-haired assassin helped move the amnesiac into the kitchen and proceeded to examine the unconscious boy.

"What's the matter with him, Zexion?" Axel asked, pacing.

"You're not going to want to hear this, Axel," he warned. Axel glared. "We're out of time. You better find someplace safe to hide him. Someone's poisoned him."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Roxas gets his memory back and I apparently need to be put into rehab for cliff hanger abuse...

Chapter Three: A New Game

Axel blew another puff of smoke into the air, shivering slightly in the bitter November wind. Leaning on the banister he glanced at the ground below before flicking his cigarette over the edge. Glancing at the slightly open door, Axel muttered a low curse before heading inside.

Axel's apartment was practically spotless, perfectly expected for an assassin. Furniture was scarce; in the living room there was one couch, one coffee table and a TV. In the kitchen was a table and two chairs and the bedroom held only a bed (obviously) and a wardrobe filled with the sparse clothing that Axel owned.

Glancing into the bedroom, Axel could see Roxas sleeping peacefully, for a change. He had been lucky enough not to receive a lethal dose of the poison and was sleeping off the effects. Shutting the door, the assassin shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie. Tossing the jacket in the general direction of the couch, he walked into his kitchen, searching the cupboard for any type of alcoholic beverage. It was difficult, though, when his cupboards were as bare as his apartment. Finally settling on a bottle of whiskey that had been sitting in the back of one shelf for god knows how long, he flopped onto the couch and turned the TV on low.

Waking up in the middle of the night, Roxas sat up and instantly regretted it. Fighting off a wave of nausea, he cautiously crawled out of bed, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders. Quietly opening the door, he peered into the hallway. Not knowing where he was, he didn't want to take the chance of being caught off guard.

That's right, Roxas, you never know when a psychotic rapist might jump out at you… He snorted quietly to himself. 

'Shut up,' he thought vehemently.

You do realize that you're having this entire conversation in your head. So you're arguing with yourself.

'Fine, I'll shut up.'

Slowly padding down the hall, Roxas felt comforted when he saw a glimpse of bright red hair. Inching closer he observed Axel's features in the flickering light of the TV. The redhead was sleeping soundly, his hair mussed and sticking out at every angle, and his complexion was paler than Roxas could remember it being. Large circles were under his eyes and the blonde noted that a sense of uneasiness and worry pervaded him, even in sleep. Seeing the bottle of whiskey by the couch, Roxas briefly wondered if the redhead was drunk, but somewhere in the recesses of his mind he remembered that Axel never got drunk.

Shifting slightly, Axel blearily blinked his eyes open, focusing on the smaller boy. Lazily smirking, Axel viewed the state Roxas was in. His hair was tousled from the pillow, the spikes of his hair matted on one side of his head. On his face was an impression left from where his head had been pressed on the pillow and the comforter was draped around his shoulders. All in all, he looked like a child who had awoken from a nightmare but was too unsure of himself to admit his fears.

"Hand me the whiskey," Axel said at length, shifting so that Roxas could sit on the couch as well.

"Why?" he asked, even as he followed the request.

"So I can get drunk," Axel stated, grabbing the bottle out of the blonde's hand as he sat down.

"You can't get drunk, Axel. We tested it at the Christmas Party, remember?" Roxas stated it with confidence. Little by little, his memory was coming back. He knew this information was true, but he still didn't know _how_ he knew it. Axel merely snorted, readying to take a swig from the bottle and instantaneously freezing as Roxas' words sunk in. Lowering the bottle, he pierced the smaller blonde with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What do you remember?"

"I remember everything, Axel." Roxas sighed, as if it should have been completely obvious that he just got his memory back. "I remember the drinking game Zexion and Demyx started at the party, and the fact that you stole the mistletoe because Larxene kept trying to get you under it." Axel rolled his eyes, hitting Roxas in the face with a couch pillow. Roxas threw it back, standing up to pace.

"The odd thing in all of this," he muttered, continuing to pace as Axel regarded him silently. "Is that our Organization is a secret. No one else knows about us, so…" Axel's eyes narrowed as he followed the blonde's train of thought.

"What, Roxas?"

"My last mission," he muttered, clearly aggravated with himself. "The Superior found information about someone trying to organize a coup. I was supposed to find out who was in on it. I'd 'quit' the Organization and then work from the outside to eliminate suspects. It had to look authentic though. I couldn't tell you." Both winced at the last words, clearly remembering the painful parting between them.

"Makes sense why someone tried to kill you, then. So if it's someone in the Organization, they would have had to have access to your drink in order to poison you. So, they were working in the kitchen when we ate," he finished, whirling to go interrogate his fellow co-workers.

"Axel, it's not that easy," Roxas stated matter-of-factly. "As far as they know, I quit and the Superior refused to accept my resignation. Somewhere between quitting and being tracked down, I lost my memory." Axel twitched, tired of Roxas' calm demeanor when he'd almost been killed twice since leaving. "Look, all I'm saying is that whoever's behind this obviously isn't afraid to attack me head on when I'm by myself, and the fact that they even tried to poison my in front of the entire Organization proves that they aren't cowards."

"Cowards?" Axel asked, catching Roxas' slip up. Roxas sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

"It has to be more than one person. But since we normally work in pairs, it makes it easier to eliminate suspects. Since I'm investigating, I'm eliminated, which automatically eliminates you. Demyx is pretty obviously innocent, which eliminates Zexion, and I'm pretty sure the Superior isn't in on the coup." Axel paused, glancing sideways at where Roxas sat.

"How do you suddenly remember all this anyway?" Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Did you know that in most cases of amnesia it's reported that a person will suddenly reacquire their memory without the use of any medicines? Time, Axel," he explained, seeing the look of confusion on his face. "Why does it matter? You should be happy that I'm not trying to continuously run away from you." Axel rolled his eyes. "Now leave me alone," he continued, standing up. "I have school tomorrow and I want to sleep."

"Uh, no you don't." Roxas glared. "Someone's trying to kill you, Roxas. I'd think you'd have a little more sense than that."

"You just don't want me to take your bed." Roxas sighed, turning away to look out the patio doors. "Axel, I can take care of myself." Axel snorted, turning again in order to face the smaller assassin.

"Yeah, you've really proven that statement. You lost your memory _and_ tried to die on me. Way to take care of yourself there," he said, clapping. Roxas quietly seethed, eyes narrowing.

"Instead of making fun of me, you could be a little more helpful."

"Be more helpful? What do you think I've been trying to do? I could get fired because of you, Roxas! As soon as you lost your memory, you became a liability to the Organization. They were ready to kill you on sight. The only reason they didn't is because I threatened to personally execute anyone they sent after you. I'm glad to see it was for nothing. If you want to get yourself killed, fine, have fun. Just don't ask me to watch." Grabbing his jacket, Axel left his apartment, slamming the door behind him.

The night air was freezing, but Axel shrugged it off, letting his anger fuel him. He was fond of his blonde friend; he certainly didn't want to see him dead. Axel wouldn't say that he loved Roxas; that would admit weakness. Assassins couldn't have weaknesses, just like they couldn't have feelings. Axel sighed, knowing that he was screwed.

"Seriously, Axel, why do you put up with him? Is he really worth all the time and effort that you've sacrificed?" Axel turned, glaring at where Larxene stood, hidden in shadows.

"Why would you even ask something like that, Larxene? Go back to the hell pit you crawled out from," he spit out, voice dripping with disdain.

"Such hostility! I'm merely asking why you want to be with a mess like Roxas when you could be with someone so much better for you?" Axel turned, summoning his chakrams.

"Some bitch like you?" he asked, laughing. "You don't know anything about him, Larxene, so shut your face before I burn it off."

"Temper, Axel," she warned. "I'm asking you to join in the coup before you get killed. Why put forth the effort for him? His life's a pitiful mess to begin with. It's a pity that all your effort counts for nothing," she sighed dismissively. "He'll soon be out of his misery." Axel's anger slowly rose as his fingers tightened around his chakrams.

"What are you getting at, Larxene?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"Really, fire boy," she laughed cruelly. "If the restaurant was safe, what makes you think your apartment is any safer?" Axel cursed under his breath, turning to return to his apartment, but Larxene barred his way. "Last chance, Axel. Join us or die."

"Get out of the way," he snarled. Running, Axel swung his chakrams, slashing at the girl as he knocked her onto the ground.

"It doesn't matter, Axel!" she shouted after him. "He's as good as dead anyway!" Axel didn't bother with a reponse but as he continued running, he hoped he wasn't too late.

Roxas didn't cry. He was a hard-ass son-of-a-bitch and he didn't do tears or emotions of any kind. Unless he was drunk and then it was out of his hands. Point being, Axel's words shouldn't have bothered him as much as they did. In fact, they should have rolled right off without any impact.

Roxas could live without the Organization. He didn't need it, didn't want it. To him, it was just a job, a way to get the money he needed. He was tired of it, though. Tired of being a shadow of what he could be, a walking shell of a person. He had a heart, though at times he forgot about it. He planned on retiring after this mission and simply disappearing, starting over again.

Axel hadn't been planned on. One really couldn't plan for Axel anyways. The fiery redhead had fought his way into Roxas' life and had made a permanent home. The fact that he could feel his heart breaking whenever Axel looked at him with a hurt expression pissed Roxas off to no end. Someone as inconsistent as Axel shouldn't make Roxas feel insecure. Yet Roxas knew that he couldn't leave the pyromaniac behind. Still, soon it wouldn't matter. At the Organization you weren't fired, you were murdered. And their Superior would have Axel murdered for disobeying his orders.

Throwing himself gracelessly onto the couch, Roxas buried his face into a pillow and listened to the sound of his heart breaking. All he had wanted was to keep Axel out of the mess he was caught in and instead Axel had barged right in, setting himself in the middle of the fray.

"You're pitiful." Roxas froze, shoulders stiffening at the recognizable tone. "And you just don't know when to die." Roxas rose off the couch, glaring at Marluxia. "Hold still this time," he ordered, raising his scythe. "And I promise it will be quick and painless."

Reviews make the chapters come faster...


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the bad humor. I'm a twisted person, I know...

Chapter Four: Stay Alive

Roxas glared at the offending man in Axel's living room. Marluxia stood with a cruel smirk on his face, scythe poised and ready to strike.

"Axel might get upset if you get blood on everything," the blonde stated, quite bored by the entire event. He knew he shouldn't be goading the sadistic bastard but his mouth just wouldn't stay shut. Marluxia, however, merely shrugged.

"He shouldn't care. Chances are he's already dead." Roxas froze, eyes narrowing as his heart beat faster.

"What are you talking about?" he hissed, hand twitching to summon his keyblade. Marluxia laughed at his ignorance, lightly swinging his scythe back and forth, much like a pendulum ticks away at time.

"Me, I was ready to just kill the arrogant bastard. Larxene wouldn't hear of it. She wanted to give him a chance, totally convinced that she could persuade him to backstab you and the entire Organization. I know Axel, though. He might be completely insane, but when it comes to friends, he's loyal to a fault. Probably turned her down, and we all know how well Larxene takes to being passed over." Roxas' eye twitched. He could still recall how Larxene's last boyfriend looked after their break-up. Or at least, what had been left of him. Marluxia's words made him feel like he had just been kicked in the gut, partly because he had, but he recovered from the blow quickly enough, tossing Marluxia across the room with a slash of his blade. The feeling, however, remained. The idea that Axel could betray him after all this, that Axel could very well be dead because of him… Anger built in the pit of Roxas' stomach, slowly consuming his lithe body. "What's the matter Roxas?" Marluxia taunted. "Hear something you don't like?"

"Shut up!" he yelled, dodging Marluxia's next attack. Swinging his blade in retaliation, Roxas caught he other man right across the chest, noting with satisfaction that it was a fairly deep gash. Stumbling backwards, Marluxia clutched his chest, his face contorting into a mask of rage as he saw the blood. As he refocused his eyes onto the blonde, Roxas could tell he was in trouble. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself for Marluxia's next attack. If he was going to die, he'd be damned if he went down without doing some serious damage.

* * *

Breathing heavily, Axel continued running, silently cursing himself for constantly ditching gym in order to smoke a cigarette. He really needed to stop smoking. Noting the flickering streetlights, Axel cursed again, turning around just in time to dodge a ball of electricity, courtesy of one pissed off Larxene. 

"Really think it's that easy, Axel?" she snarled. "I gave you a chance to live and you piss it away! Well, now I'm pissed off…" Axel rolled to dodge her next attack, quickly regaining his footing as he summoned his chakrams. Larxene's next attack was cut short as she was doused with water.

"What the hell?"

"Don't just stand there, idiot, get going!" Demyx jumped lightly to the ground, from where Axel couldn't see, but a grumbling Zexion quickly followed him.

"What the fuck, man? What are you doing here?" Axel asked clearly confused. Zexion pointed to the still flickering lights.

"Larxene was either having sex or in a fight. Recent events pointed towards fighting. Next question is why are you still here?" he drawled.

"Excuse me? Hi, I'm still here," Larxene fumed. "This is between me and Axel." Demyx rolled his eyes, dousing her in another water attack. Axel laughed wickedly as Larxene was shocked by her own electricity before he continued running towards his apartment.

Turning around, Zexion and Demyx discovered a very wet and pissed off Larxene. Curling her fists into balls, she readied to throw another attack, too blinded by rage to learn from past mistakes. Zexion grinned sadistically.

"Do it again," he ordered Demyx. The sitarist merely sighed.

"Sadist."

"You love it," came the reply as Zexion kept his eyes trained on Larxene. Demyx grinned, summoning his sitar.

"I do." Larxene shrieked as the water hit her again.

* * *

Roxas dodged, wincing slightly as Marluxia's scythe cut into the flesh of his right side. Better his side than his gut, which Roxas was pretty sure was where the pink-haired assassin was aiming. Both boys were panting, covered in cuts and bruises. 

Axel's apartment was in the same state as they were. The coffee table was upturned, the dining room table was utterly obliterated and somehow the couch had been cut in two. Supposing that Axel made it back alive, Roxas presumed he'd be more pissed off than when he had left.

"Why don't you die?" Marluxia muttered. "What do you even have to live for?"

"More than you," the blonde snapped back, pressing a hand to his wounded side. Marluxia leaned on his scythe, Roxas, his keyblade. Both fought to regulate their breathing before the next attack. The breaks were becoming longer, but the fighting more fierce. Still, both boys remained equal in ability. "What do you even think you're going to get out of this?" Roxas asked, truly curious.

"Why should I tell you? I'm going to kill you, remember?" Marluxia snapped sarcastically. Roxas shrugged.

"What's to lose, then?" Marluxia glared at the wielder of the keyblade.

"I'm tired of being nonexistent. We work for a king who's ashamed to admit he needs our help and so hides us out of the public's eye. Not anymore," he spat, shifting his grip so that he was standing upright. "I'm going to change that. I'll take over this god-forsaken Organization and force the king to relinquish his throne."

"You're insane," Roxas hissed between his teeth. "You really think you can pull it off?" he continued, blocking Marluxia's anger-induced attack. "We might be trained assassins, but King Mickey has the support of the people. How many worlds does he rule over, Marluxia?" he asked, counter-attacking. "How many people on each of those worlds? Are you going to kill them all to reach your goal?"

"Shut up!" he seethed, catching Roxas' left side with his scythe. Caught off-guard, Roxas fell, biting back a cry of pain. Scrambling away, Roxas glared at the other assassin. "You've gotten weaker," he sneered. "I'll tell you a secret, Roxas. Even if Larxene does convince Axel to join us, I'm still going to kill him."

"Larxene's probably already dead." Roxas whipped his head around, staring in disbelief at the form of Axel. "And the Superior has been informed of your questionable intentions, so I'd thank you to leave Roxas alone and stop tearing up my apartment." Marluxia glared, lowering his scythe. Axel remained where he was, leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe, twirling a chakram in one hand.

"Just like that, huh?" Marluxia snapped. "Nothing's ever that easy, Axel. This is reality. You really think I'll give up just like that?" Axel sneered at the other assassin.

"No, I don't expect you to give up just like that. You might be cunning, Marluxia, but you have no common sense. And I'll see you burning in hell before you kill any of my friends," he spat, pushing himself off the frame.

"Fine, I'll settle for you," he replied, jumping over Roxas' bleeding body. Axel continued to sneer, summoning his other chakram.

"Maybe if you stop talking." Marluxia twitched, gracefully swinging the scythe. Axel easily evaded; he was much more used to fighting than Roxas was. Summoning his fire, Axel threw a ball at his opponent, gracefully twisting and turning to avoid being struck.

"You didn't plan this out so well, did you Marluxia?" Axel goaded, knowing it would piss him off even more. Marluxia didn't respond, choosing instead to execute a calculated attack, cutting a thin line along the pyromaniac's neck. Axel's eyes narrowed dangerously as he wiped at the trickling blood.

Watching the fight unfold before him, Roxas struggled to be of some help. However, he was losing blood fast and his body was going into shock. Trying to fight off his body's lethargy, Roxas groped for his keyblade. His actions, however, brought on unwanted attention.

Noticing the movement out of the corner of his eye, Marluxia's rage was refocused onto the blonde assassin. Shoving Axel out of his way, the reaper stalked towards his target.

Roxas muttered a curse under his breath, sighing in relief when his hand closed around his keyblade. Blocking Marluxia's attack, Roxas grimaced as he moved to get out of the way. Axel glared, striking the traitor in the back.

"Leave him alone," he hissed, climbing to his feet. Marluxia pushed himself off of the floor, sneering.

"Upset that I almost killed your boyfriend? He'd already be dead if Larxene hadn't stupidly watered down the poison." Axel growled, taking in Roxas' near broken form. He could tell that he wouldn't last much longer. Tightening his grip on his chakrams, Axel attacked again.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," he hissed, catching Marluxia right in the middle of his chest, reopening the wound that Roxas had given him. Stumbling backwards, Marluxia tripped over the balled-up form of the younger boy. Axel moved forward, ready to finish off the renegade but before he could reach him, a portal opened. Glaring at the intruders, his glower softened when Demyx and Zexion walked out.

"Sorry, Axel," Zexion said, tone monotone. "The Superior wants these two alive." Axel nodded mutely, dispelling his chakrams.

Sitting down wearily on the destroyed couch, he sighed, utterly exhausted. Wiping at his neck, the thought that his wound was still bleeding barely registered. His last thought before everything went black was the fact that Demyx was frantically trying to wake Roxas up.

Reviews Please


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Lie To Me

Axel blearily blinked his eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden light without going blind. The steady beeping of the heart monitor sounded like drums in his ears and he was half tempted to rip out its wires, but a flat-line or no signal would bring doctors and nurses, which in turn would bring questions and fussing. And Axel really didn't trust himself to not send them all to a fiery grave, so he let it be.

Shifting ever so slightly, Axel vainly attempted to loosen the sheets, but whoever had tucked him in had seen fit to pull the covers as tight as humanly possible and he had no maneuverability. Silently he cursed whoever had made the bed, then added the whole hospital for good measure. Hearing the door slide open, he feigned sleep.

"Still unconscious. He's been out for almost a month, is that normal?" Female voice, Axel noted. _Must be the nurse._

"He'll be fine. Poor kid's just exhausted." Axel fought down the urge to summon his chakrams and waste the unsuspecting bastard. _Show you who's a kid._ he mentally sulked.

"So, he's really an assassin?" Fear flooded through Axel's body as he fought to keep his heart rate normal to avoid suspicion. _How the hell did she know that?_ "He's so young though…"

"He's part of Organization XIII, the one that King Mickey was talking about. Thirteen trained assassins working undercover specifically for the crown." The woman huffed.

"Well it must have been one hell of a mission they sent him on."

"It wasn't a mission," the doctor responded, scribbling something on a clipboard. To Axel, he sounded bored by the whole conversation. "Apparently two of the younger members attempted a coup which involved taking out that blonde kid we treated. This one got caught in the crossfire. It doesn't matter anyways, the king executed the two conspirators and dissolved the Organization." Axel could hear their footsteps and the 'click' as the door was shut.

Axel let out a deep breath, opening his eyes. Slowly he reflected on the information he had just overheard. Larxene and Marluxia were dead, Roxas was possibly somewhere in the hospital as well, and if he was, most likely in worse shape than Axel. And there was no more Organization. That realization brought about a cold panic, Axel had never known anything outside of the Organization, had never wanted to. He was a trained fighter, a calculating, cold-blooded killer and now he had nowhere to go. He wouldn't survive in a normal society setting. Axel wasn't one to worry and right now he was too damn tired to really care. If the need arose, he'd find a position that let him kill at whim but until then, he was going to sleep.

* * *

Roxas entered the hospital, merely nodding to the receptionist on his way past. He'd been in and out of the building enough times that she finally told him to stop signing in. He had been discharged at the end of two weeks, freshly stitched and bandaged, and Zexion and Demyx had been there to celebrate. His only regret was that he had missed Larxene and Marluxia's execution. 

Demyx filled him in on the changes. There was no more Organization and any school-aged member was required to attend public school. The blonde could sense the sadness in the sitarist's voice, but to Roxas it merely meant carrying on as he had been. The other members were handed jobs that best suited their abilities.

Shutting the door silently, Roxas looked at the scene before him. Axel was still sleeping and the slighter boy briefly wondered just how often the redhead had gotten into fights in order to keep him alive. He was paler that much was sure and definitely thinner. A bandage on his neck covered the cut Marluxia had given him. Studying his face, Roxas was horrified at the change. Axel's face was drawn, huge circles under his eyes and his lips were pale, almost white. Hospitals were meant to help people get better but the longer Axel stayed here, the worse he looked.

Roxas moved to the window, staring blankly through the glass, seeing without really seeing. His first couple of visits he had sat next to the bed, hoping that Axel would wake up. Now, though, he waited. He knew it was pointless to waste time with wishes, this was reality after all. A noise behind him caused him to turn and he saw Axel blinking tiredly at the ceiling.

* * *

Axel's first thought when waking for the second time that day was that someone had better clean up his apartment because he sure as hell wasn't going to do it. He second thought was that someone was standing to the left, blocking the light from the window, which led to his third thought – if someone was here to ask him questions, he was going to start burning down the hospital. 

"You look like shit." Axel smirked at the sound of Roxas' voice. He watched with detached interest as the blonde moved from in front of the window to his bed.

"Been working on your greetings I see. You don't look so hot yourself, small fry." Roxas' smirk turned to a scowl and Axel had a feeling that if he hadn't still been hospitalized he'd have been whacked in the head with a heavy object.

"If you're going to insult me, I'm going to stop coming."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." he placated. "Just get me the hell out of here, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever. I have your homework, too." Roxas answered, moving to find a doctor.

"What the fuck are you going on about?"

"The Organization's been shut down."

"Yeah, I know that."

"All school-aged members are required to attend public school."

"The _hell_ you say. I'm not going." Roxas sighed, shaking his head.

"We'll talk about it later, Axel, let's just get you out of here."

"We're not talking about it," Axel spit out bitterly, sitting up. "It's not a discussion. I. Am. Not. Going. It's that simple."

"He's not going where?" Demyx asked, appearing with Zexion in tow.

"To school," Roxas muttered, taking the release forms from Zexion and starting to fill them out. Demyx and Zexion said nothing, opting instead to shift Axel out of bed because getting involved in a fight between Roxas and Axel was like speeding 180 miles down a highway when it raining at night time. It was, simply put, a death wish.

The nurses had been kind enough to leave Axel in hospital pants and Zexion grabbed his clothes from the closet as Demyx helped the redhead limp into the bathroom. Neither Demyx nor Zexion commented on how bad Axel looked and Roxas was too busy angrily jotting down answers on the release form to pay much attention to what else was going on.

Shoving the papers into the hands of some unsuspecting doctor passing by, Roxas gave Zexion and Demyx thanks before dragging the redhead to the car. Sliding into the driver's seat, Roxas dug into his coat pocket, pulling out a rumpled pack of cigarettes. Placing the last stick between his lips, he lit it before starting the car and pulling away from the hospital.

"I thought you quit smoking." Axel remarked, eyebrow raised as he watched the blonde.

"Shut up, Axel. I'm really not in the mood," he replied, flicking the ashes out the window with one hand, the other keeping a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.

"Fine, but this isn't the way to my apartment."

"Your apartment is destroyed, you really think I'm gonna let you stay there? Besides, knowing you, you'll dump your pills down the garbage disposal as soon as you get in the door." Axel sighed as he rolled his eyes, completely ignoring the fact that it was true.

"I can take care of myself," he spat bitterly.

"You've proved that so well," Roxas shot back coldly, echoing Axel's earlier statement. Axel went to reply but shut his mouth. The blonde's jaw was clenched, vein pulsing and hands still gripping the steering wheel hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Axel knew he had something on his mind and it would be safer for both to wait and hear him out.

* * *

The rest of the car ride had been silent, the tension so thick it was almost tangible. Pulling into the driveway, Roxas parked, turned off the ignition and exited the car in a single fluid motion. Axel followed more slowly, his body still battered and bruised. 

Entering the house, Roxas pulled out extra sheets, placing them on the couch before scrounging around the kitchen.

"You'll be in the bed, okay?" Axel sat on the couch, eyes roaming around the apartment as he made some type of noise that could be taken for agreement. "What are you hungry for?" he continued, voice muffled by the refrigerator.

"M'not," Axel mumbled back. Roxas stood, glaring at the back of Axel's head.

"You have to eat. You can't take your pills on an empty stomach."

"That would make me cry," he replied snidely. The blonde sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Couldn't you cooperate at least once?"

"The day I make your life easier will be the day you keel over from a heart attack caused by shock." Roxas muttered death threats under his breath, settling on left over Chinese. "So what's got you so bent into knots?" Axel grimaced, accepting the bowl of Lo Mein with a nod. Roxas shrugged, maneuvering himself into a chair perpendicular to the sofa.

"Let it drop, Axel. So what exactly are your plans if you're ditching school?" It was Axel's turn to shrug. The tension was back and it was growing every second. Both boys were looking for a fight and the only thing needed to open up a can of worms was a trigger. Suddenly, Roxas sat his bowl on the coffee table and leaned tiredly back into the chair. "Why can't you even attempt to live a normal life?" Axel winced at his tone. Physical punches might not be exchanged but that didn't mean someone wasn't going to end up hurt.

"Roxas, you just can't take assassins, thrust them into the middle of a society who didn't even know they existed and expect them to adjust accordingly."

"That might be true but you know as well as I do that you could adjust without problems if you really wanted to, so stop lying to me. Any time something that involves sticking around pops up, you disappear. You're afraid to commit." Roxas smirked as he watched Axel's temperature rise.

"It's a little hard to commit when nothing stays constant and it's possible you'll be dead with the next mission," he spat out.

"There _are_ no more missions, Axel. The only thing stopping you is yourself."

"Fine, Roxas. I don't want to go to your damn school, happy?" he asked, standing. "I want to know something outside of what's handed to me. Nineteen years I've been told what to do, what to wear, who to kill." he ranted, pacing. "I want to know that for once in my life I can make my own damn decisions without someone else interfering!" Axel glared at Roxas' back. While he had been pacing, the blonde had moved to stare out the window.

"So what are you going to do?" Roxas eventually broke the silence. Axel sighed, pushing a hand through his tangled mane of hair.

"I don't know. Travel, I guess. It doesn't really matter as long as I can get out of here." Axel eyed Roxas' form. He stance was different but Axel couldn't place the body language and he shrugged it off. "I'm gonna use your shower."

"I'll get you a towel."

* * *

Stepping into the warmth of the shower, Axel sighed happily, content to just let the water run over his battered body. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had a proper shower, much less been able to take his own sweet time. Axel grimaced as he grabbed the soap; washing was going to be a painful experience seeing as how three-quarters of his body was still mottled various shades of purples, blues, greens, and yellows. He decided to wash quickly, the sooner it was over, the better. 

A tentative knock came and Axel heard the door open as he shut off the water. Roxas tossed him the towel and he wrapped it around his waist before stepping out of the shower. He had some decency, really. Axel rolled his eyes as he saw Roxas sorting out his medications. The blonde turned, shoving the pills into Axel's hand and stilling with the water half way between them, an involuntary gasp slipping out. Axel quizzically raised an eyebrow before remembering that he was dressed only in a towel and Roxas hadn't been aware of just how badly Axel had been hurt.

"Water, Roxas," he reminded him and Roxas blinked at him in confusion before looking at the glass in his hand.

"Here," Roxas stated, handing it over before exiting the bathroom. Axel stared after him before glancing at the pills in his hand; one was a sleeping pill, the other a pain pill and he briefly wondered if it worked for heartache. He popped them into his mouth, swallowing them dry, and as he readied for bed he briefly reflected that the pills had left a bitter taste behind.

* * *

When Roxas woke up, he didn't need to check his room to know that Axel was gone. Kicking the blanket off of him, he shuffled from the couch to his bed, staring blearily at the mess Axel had left behind. Wearily he tossed himself onto the mattress, bouncing slightly as he pulled the covers around him. Shutting off his alarm, Roxas decided to ditch school. He'd sleep, it was so much better than having to face the fact that the annoying pyromaniac was gone. That loudmouth redhead that Roxas had stupidly fallen in love with. 

He wasn't quite sure when he had fallen in love, before or after he had lost his memory. But Axel had wriggled his way, uninvited, into his life and then he wriggled some more until he was in Roxas' heart. And then the rotten bastard up and leaves. Roxas didn't know if it would last. Half the time he wanted to throttle the redhead, the rest of the time he wanted to kiss him and he wasn't sure if that was healthy. Besides, sleep was such an easy escape from dealing with a subject like Axel.

"You know if you're going to invite yourself into my bed, the least you can do is share the covers." The voice pulled Roxas away from much needed sleep and back to reality. Groaning in annoyance, the blonde glared at Axel.

"It's my bed, dickwad, and you left," he snapped irritably. Axel sighed, rolling his eyes as he climbed into bed.

"Shove up a bit," he ordered, shifting into a more comfortable position once Roxas gave him more room. "Figure of speech," he muttered, finally responding to Roxas' earlier statement.

"Whatever," Roxas mumbled. "Thought you were leaving," he stated, elbowing the redhead as he tried to steal more covers.

"Ow, shit that hurt!" Axel grumbled, rubbing his bruised chest.

"Serves you right." Roxas yelped when Axel bit him, glaring indignantly as the pyro snickered into a pillow. "Jerk," he muttered, but allowed himself to be pulled into Axel's embrace. "Where'd you go, anyways?" he asked, voice muffled by Axel's neck.

"I had some things to take care of." Roxas looked at him inquisitively. "Roxas, I won't lie. I'm still not sure if I'm staying, but if I _do_ leave, I'll definitely be coming back."

"Axel, just do me a favor?" he asked tentatively, rolling so Axel was on top of him.

"Hm?"

"Lie to me."

Reviews Please. I need to know whether or not this is the last chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: So another chapter for Name of the Game. I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to continue this after this chapter or not. Thanks to A Spot of Bother for betaing.

* * *

Chapter Six: Lies vs. Loneliness

Axel was so screwed. When he woke later that day he had a note from Roxas telling him he was at school. That much was fine, that's not what he was worried about. He was worried about what would happen when Roxas came back home. He had a tiny little problem. You see, Axel had slept with his best friend. And awkwardness was bound to ensue.

Axel was not a coward. One couldn't be when facing death on an almost daily basis. The pyromaniac had never run from his problems. Hell, he had spent the last several months chasing _after_ his problem, making sure the damn kid didn't get killed. And then he went and fucked it up, literally.

Sighing heavily, Axel rubbed absentmindedly at the bridge of his nose. He could feel the beginning of a headache taking place already. Letting out a small chuckle, Axel couldn't help but notice that even when the kid wasn't here he was still creating problems for the pyromaniac. But Axel knew that that wasn't the real truth.

"Sometimes the lies you tell are less frightening than the loneliness you might feel if you stopped telling them." The quote slipped quietly from Axel's lips. Axel knew he was lying to himself. The problem was he was afraid of rejection. He didn't want to lose Roxas, but he knew that the irrational way he was acting was bound to cost him the blond's friendship anyway. Damn Brock Clarke, did he really have to say that? Did he really have to be right about that? The redhead cut off his mental tangent, sparing a glance at the clock. It was only nine-thirty; Roxas wouldn't be home from school until around four.

Standing up, he meandered over to the kitchen, opening the fridge and rifling through the drawers and shelves, trying to find some semblance of food that could pass for breakfast. Nothing, Axel wryly noted, had changed with Roxas' eating habits. The kid still didn't stock anything in his fridge except left over Chinese food. Hey, the pyromaniac enjoyed it as much as the next person, but he could never figure out exactly how the squirt could live off the stuff. The redhead foresaw a trip to the grocery store today.

Realizing the thought he had just had, Axel slammed the fridge door shut. Dragging his hands through his hair, he growled in frustration. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Roxas was beginning to feel like home. No, that couldn't be it… It was just all the time they spent together in the Organization. The Organization was home. It was the only home that Axel had ever known. Except that there was no more Organization. So Axel was homeless. He really needed to stop this train of thought. His thoughts were jumbled, he was feeling depressed and he wanted a cigarette. But he'd told himself that he needed to quit smoking, and Roxas had searched his apartment and all of Axel's belongings to make sure that every last cigarette had gotten thrown out. Well, fuck.

Sighing resignedly, Axel flopped back onto the couch and promptly stood back up. Grabbing his wallet and keys from the bedroom, he walked to the door. Pausing, he turned back to the kitchen, wrote a hasty note and left. Stopping outside the door, Axel mentally reviewed what had just transpired. Shit, he was losing his mind. He hadn't needed to leave Roxas a note. Hell, he'd probably be back before him. This felt…odd. He needed a drink, badly.

Walking into the cool air, Axel felt better. He needed this, needed to walk, to sort out his thoughts, especially those pertaining to Roxas and the Organization. Axel could deal with the disbanding of the Organization. If he was honest with himself, he knew it wasn't the Organization's end that had upset him. It was the fact that for the first time in his life, Axel didn't know what was going to happen, and that had scared him. Roxas hadn't been far off when he said he had a fear of commitment. Axel needed something solid and permanent to cling to. And the Organization had been his security blanket. But now it had been ripped from him, and as much as Axel could deal with small changes, huge changes did not bode well with him. And killing was all he had ever known.

As soon as the Organization had seen what he was capable of, his parents had been relieved of their duties. Axel briefly wondered if they had even fought to keep him. On second thought, no he didn't. The point was, he had never known anything outside of assignments and the uncertainty of whether or not he would live to see his next birthday. Christ, when was his birthday, anyways? But he was getting sidetracked.

Axel scuffed his boot against the sidewalk, staring at the bar he had lazily been making his way to. Sighing deeply, he shoved the door open. Maybe a drink would help clear his head. He knew Roxas wouldn't approve but hell, the kid was the whole reason he needed to keep a clear head. He needed to know whether or not he could pull this 'regular person' thing off.

Sitting down at the bar, he nodded tiredly at the barkeeper. "Hit me."

* * *

Roxas could not believe a day that had started out so well could turn to shit so quickly. He had run into Zexion and Demyx on the way to school, not that that was bad. The two had wisely avoided any questions on whether or not Axel was coming, though both had seemed surprised when Roxas willingly told them that the redhead hadn't split yet. No, their walk and talk had been fine, relaxing almost. Oh, if only the rest of the day had gone that easily. But he had been lulled into a false sense of security and upon turning the corner to head towards the entrance he had run straight into a fuming Kairi. Well, shit.

"Roxas, you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do." Zexion had quickly grabbed Demyx's arm, murmuring a hasty 'see you at lunch' before making a bee-line towards the doors. Roxas really couldn't blame him. In fact, he wanted to join them.

"As of the last time I checked, Kairi, you were my friend, not my mother." When had he given his mouth permission to speak without referencing his brain? Kairi's scowl darkened three shades.

"The last time _I_ checked, friends didn't keep secrets from each other. It's bad enough that you went with that weird redhead freak but then you up and disappear for two weeks and show up at school walking and being friendly with _assassins?!_" She was all but screaming now, and Roxas knew it was the worry that was talking, not the reasonable, level-headed girl he knew. But he was tired and more than a little worried about what waited for him when he got home after school. Would Axel still be there?

"Kairi, there's a lot you don't know about me and it didn't help that I had amnesia when I met you, but those _assassins_ are my _friends_ and that _freak_ is my _best friend_. I _worked_ with them, Kairi." Confusion passed over her face, and she cocked her head as if she were suddenly seeing him for the first time.

"Roxas, you don't mean that –"

"I was the thirteenth member of Organization XIII." Roxas sighed as he looked at his friend. She looked as if she had just been doused with cold water, but Roxas knew she needed to hear the truth, and better she heard it from him than someone else. At least, that was the excuse Roxas was going with. If he were perfectly honest he just wanted her to stop bad-mouthing his friends. They'd be getting ostracized enough without being called names. "We need to get to class," he muttered, tightening his grip on his backpack before passing by her. Kairi didn't move. Heaving a sigh he turned back slightly.

"Kairi, come on," he repeated, gripping her shoulder.

Kairi whipped around so fast that Roxas jumped back. Shock was etched on his face, first from his friend's reaction, then from the look of utter _fear_ prominent in her expression. Roxas moved towards her slowly, both hands clearly where she could see them.

"Kairi? What's wro –" With one more look of fear, she shot past him, running towards the high school as if it were her last chance of salvation. Letting out a heavy breath through his nose, Roxas followed her into the school, fighting down an irrational urge of rage. He should have known this was how she would react, but the hurt and betrayal still stung. Suddenly, Roxas really wished that Axel would still be there when he got home.

* * *

Said redhead was nursing his beer. He had been at the bar for almost an hour but was still on his first drink. He didn't want to get drunk and he was trying to make sure his beer would last long enough for him to think things through.

It was obvious that he would need to talk to Roxas. But it was exactly _what_ he was going to say that was causing him the greatest problem. You just can't sleep with your bestest bud and not expect things to change. But exactly _how_ their relationship was going to change was a touchy subject as well. So he needed to review the type of relationship they had had up until this morning.

The fact that he and Roxas cared about each other was kind of obvious. Hell, Axel had put his career and life on the line to ensure that none of the other Organization members would take Roxas out. And the blond obviously cared enough about him to make sure he ate and took his meds so he would stay healthy. Roxas was the only person who seemed able to tolerate Axel for extended periods of times, as evidenced by the fact that he _hadn't_ changed rooms within a month of joining the Organization. And Axel was the only one who could get a _real_ smile out of Roxas.

Axel frowned as he continued to mentally sort through everything he and Roxas had said to each other, everything they had done together. Hell, he and Roxas were practically dating. The epiphany hit so hard that Axel all but jumped from his chair. Settling his tab, Axel quickly left the bar, heading back towards the apartment complex. Stopping midstride, he realized that this would be more difficult than he had first presumed. What was he going to say to the blond, 'Hey Roxas, we were practically dating in the first place so why don't we try the real thing, y'know, since we slept together and all?' Axel was pretty sure that would get him a right hook to the jaw. So having made it successfully to square two, he was once again stuck.

Wandering aimlessly through the streets of Hollow Bastion, Axel continued to ponder this strange predicament he found himself in. Could he really see himself living in this city? When he thought about it, yes. He could pretty much see himself living anywhere, so long as Roxas was with him. Axel stopped dead in his tracks, much to the displeasure of those who had to walk around him. But Axel had figured it out. He was in love with Roxas. Now the question remained to be seen whether or not Roxas was in love with him.

Stopping again, Axel found himself outside of the grocery store. Scowling at his traitorous feet for bringing him here, he decided to head inside anyways. It was cold outside and he needed to warm up so he could think properly. Riiiiight.

Blinking against the harsh lights of the store, Axel grabbed a basket (just in case he wanted something for himself, he reasoned) and started wandering the aisles. He gave a self-deprecating smirk at how quickly he was becoming domesticated, which brought him back to the problem at hand. He had made it to square three, figuring out he was in love with Roxas. Now he just needed to figure out how to tell him. Heaving a sigh that clearly spoke 'woe is me' Axel began dumping groceries into the cart. He couldn't think on an empty stomach, after all. Riiiiight.

* * *

Even in the short amount of time between that Kairi had been in homeroom, he knew that she'd told everyone what had transpired. All eyes turned to him as he stepped through the doorway, but Roxas did his best to shrug it off. All he wanted to do was to make it through the day and get home. Hopefully to Axel.

Axel. That seemed to be what it all came down to nowadays. Roxas had been heartbroken when he thought the redhead had left. And he had stupidly let his emotions get the better of him when he found out that he hadn't snuck off. But sleeping with your best friend isn't the smartest move, especially when in love with said best friend. The thought stopped Roxas cold. But he didn't have time to ponder it – the bell had rung and he needed to get to first class, regardless of the stares that his classmates were sending his way.

But first class, though not as bad as homeroom, proved that word was getting round. Roxas met the curious glances with his trademark glare and thanked whatever God existed that it was effectively squashing his classmates' bravery. So, armed with his glare and positively ignoring whatever rant his history teacher was on, something about bankers being pushed out of windows… Roxas turned his mind back to Axel.

Should he tell the pyromaniac how he felt? Roxas had to admit, he could scoff at the majority of the Organization members, but even though Axel had to be the…second most laid back member – right after Demyx – he was also one of the deadliest members. Roxas was almost glad he'd never had to fight the pyro – he wasn't sure who would win, but he hoped he never had to find out. Would he, though, if he told Axel how he felt? He sure as hell hoped not. He saw what had happened to Marluxia, even if he was loopy from blood loss. If Axel had had his way, there would have been nothing left of the assassin to hang.

But that brought a new question to Roxas' mind. Why had Axel been so intent on having blood? Marluxia was pretty much down for the count, which ensured that Roxas was safe for the time being, so why kill the assassin? Axel was his friend, his best friend, so obviously Roxas' well-being was important to him, but important enough to kill for? Well, they were assassins… But no, that didn't seem right. Both Zexion and Demyx were friends with the redhead and they had been in dangerous situations before. Axel had always helped to bail them out, but then he left the decisions of whether or not to kill up to them. Roxas wasn't given that decision. Axel would definitely have killed Marluxia if the other two hadn't shown up. Did that mean (and Roxas valiantly tried to squash the hope down) that Axel cared for him more than a friend?

Roxas frowned, picking up his books as the bell rang. He was being entirely ridiculous about this entire situation. It was bad enough he was pining about his best friend like some teenage girl fawning over the school's quarterback. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgement. He needed cold, hard facts. 'I have some luck on my side,' he thought, heading to the back of his math class. Sliding into his seat, he turned to greet Zexion, ignoring the blatant stares and whispers.

"I need to talk to you."

* * *

Axel sighed, lugging the grocery bags behind him. Luckily there weren't that many, just a few staples that everyone generally needed to live…with the apparent exception of Roxas. Axel grimaced as he opened the fridge. Moving the Chinese food aside, he quickly unloaded the milk and eggs. Tossing the bread towards the breadbox – and really, why did Roxas even _have_ one of those if he never used it – Axel plopped on the couch. He was hungry, but it could wait.

Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands as his fingers curled into a death grip in his hair. The more he thought about his future the more displeased he was becoming with what had taken place that morning. He really couldn't believe that he had done something so stupid. Roxas would probably hate him and Axel wasn't sure he could handle that on top of everything else.

Flopping backwards, he dragged his hands over his face before dropping them by his sides. When did life become this complicated? 'Oh yeah,' he thought. 'Right about the time you _slept with your best friend_.' A grimace marred Axel's face. Well, it's not like he could take back sleeping with the blond. His grimace turned to a grin. Not that he really wanted to. He sobered instantly. But there was something else he could take back. Crumbling his first note and shoving it in his pocket, the redhead hastily scribbled a second note and slipped it beneath a pack of cookies before heading out.

Once back on the streets, Axel ran. Casting a quick glance at his watch he knew there was no way that he would be home before Roxas, but this would hopefully make things a little easier. Cutting into an empty alley, Axel called a portal. Time was of the utmost importance, and he jumped without a second thought.

Falling gracelessly at his destination, Axel picked himself up, taking off at a sprint and blatantly ignoring the poor guard he had fallen on. He shouldn't have been in his way, anyway. Sparing a glance over his shoulder, the pyromaniac saw another guard help the man up. Refocusing his attention on where he was going, Axel quickly arrived at the throne room. Pausing only to catch his breath – really, it did no good for him to see the king if he couldn't talk – Axel pushed the door open.

"Axel, it's nice to see you again. I didn't expect to see you so soon." Axel looked up sheepishly.

"Yeah, I know." King Mickey tilted his head, looking at the ex-assassin with a mixture of confusion and pleasant surprise.

"So you came to a decision?" Axel knew the monarch was referring to his earlier job offer, but the redhead couldn't help but inwardly laugh at the words. Oh, his majesty had no idea how true those words were. Instead, he shrugged.

"Not really. I still might take the offer, but I think right now it would be better if I stuck around for awhile." The king nodded his understanding.

"Don't feel rushed to make a decision, Axel. The job will be held for as long as you need. If you'd prefer to finish high school first, that's fine." The mention of school had Axel glancing at his watch again.

"Thanks, I'll try and get you a timely answer," he stated, summoning another portal. "I need to get home." King Mickey nodded, silently watching the teenager disappear. Stepping into the darkness, Axel couldn't believe what he had just said. Letting a self satisfied smirk grace his lips, he nodded to himself. He did need to get home.

* * *

Roxas sent a silent thanks to whoever was responsible for making sure Zexion and Demyx were in practically every class with him. Maybe the administration had seen fit to ensure such an action, knowing that the assassins – _ex_-assassins – would need that little comfort. So his day had slightly improved. Hell, he could all but ignore the stares and whispers following him down the hallways and into the classrooms. As it was, he barely paid any attention to that day's lessons. He had more important things to discuss.

"I'm pretty sure Axel likes you as more than a friend," Demyx whispered, agreeing with the blue-haired ex-assassin next to him. "But I don't know whether or not he's realized just how much he likes you." Zexion eyed Roxas suspiciously for a moment.

"What made you decide to ask us?" Roxas weighed his chances of lying to his friends. Slim to none.

"The night we fought Marluxia and Larxene, Axel would have killed Marluxia if you hadn't shown up." Demyx stared at him blankly, Zexion kept his face blank purposely. Roxas elaborated. "Any time the two of you were in trouble, Axel would step in, but he always let you decide whether or not the person lived or died. He didn't ask me." Zexion raised an eyebrow.

"What does that mean?" Demyx questioned, clearly missing the importance. Zexion ignored him.

"Something else happened, didn't it?" Roxas cursed under his breath. He forgot how studious Zexion could be. The man read people like a book.

"Yeah." Zexion waited. "I might have slept with him," Roxas muttered, looking out the window. Demyx stopped pestering his boyfriend, choosing instead to stare at the blond. Zexion sighed.

"You should talk to Axel." Roxas glared daggers at the blue-haired teenager. "You can't really do anything until the two of you resolve whatever problems your little tryst brought up." Roxas glared harder but Zexion just looked at him coolly. Damn.

"It wasn't a tryst." The blond inwardly winced at how defensive he sounded. But, he reasoned, it wasn't a tryst. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't that. Demyx grinned.

"Prove it." The school bell rang and Roxas had never been so happy for the end of a school day since…well, ever.

"I don't need to prove anything," he snapped, grabbing his backpack and all but fleeing the school. He told himself it was because he wanted to see whether or not Axel had stayed. Riiiiight.

* * *

The door swung open silently, and Roxas could tell that something was off. It didn't feel like it had earlier that morning, though a cursory glance at the apartment showed that Axel was indeed missing. Moving to the kitchen, Roxas yanked the fridge open, intending to grab a beer, and frowned at the sight that greeted him. He knew for certain that eggs and milk had not been in his fridge as of this morning. So Axel went…shopping? The mere thought of the redhead perusing the aisles of a grocery store had Roxas doubled over in hysterics.

Catching his breath, Roxas grabbed his beer and sat down at the kitchen table. A pack of cookies awaited him, holding a note underneath.

_Rox_

_Had to see King Mickey._

_Axel_

Roxas raised his eyebrows in surprise, taking a swig of his beer. Since when did Axel leave notes explaining his absences? Still, Roxas couldn't help but smile. Axel was coming back, at least for a little while.

But the smile quickly transformed into a frown. They still needed to talk. And Roxas wasn't entirely sure just what it was that he was going to tell the pyromaniac. But his thoughts were interrupted as a swirling vortex opened into his living room. His frown deepened as the man who had taken residence in his thoughts appeared. Axel caught his eye and grinned bashfully.

"Sorry, I meant to be back before you got home." Roxas' frown stayed in place as he watched the portal close.

"You really need to stop doing that." Axel's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "The portal. It's kind of a give away." Axel shrugged, tossing his jacket onto the back of the couch before joining Roxas at the table. "Did you go shopping?" Smooth Roxas, real smooth.

"Man cannot live on Chinese food and beer alone. There are other parts of the food pyramid, Roxas." The blond sneered at the pyromaniac sitting across from him.

"I'll take that as a yes. Didn't know you were so domesticated." It was Axel's turn to sneer as he stood up, grabbing his own beer from the fridge before sitting back down.

"Fine, I'll let you die of clogged arteries and liver disease."

"What were you talking to King Mickey about?" Roxas knew he was changing the subject, but he'd rather not think about why that last comment had made him feel so bad. Axel didn't even blink.

"He offered me a job this morning." Roxas decided that now was a good time to study the kitchen floor. Had he always had such tacky tiles? "I told him that I needed more time to think about it." The blond glanced at the redhead from the corner of his eye.

"So you're staying?" Axel shrugged. "That's not a real answer, Axel." The slighter boy really couldn't understand why he needed to hear the actual words, but he was irritated with himself. When did he get so weak?

"Can you give me a reason to stay?" The question took him by surprise. Roxas had just expected a snide remark before Axel walked out of his life forever. But this was a chance. Roxas had to relearn everything about lying to himself. He had lied to himself for so long about Axel. 'You're not in love with him; you're not in love with him…' He had lied to himself when he said he could just be friends with him. He had acted selfishly, not wanting to lose Axel, not wanting to be lonely. But he was going to lose him anyways if he didn't tell him the truth.

"Stay for me," he whispered. 'I really should have those tiles replaced,' he thought, trying to distract himself from Axel's answer. The deadly silence was beginning to unnerve the key bearer. Axel was never quiet for such long periods of time. Daring a glance, Roxas froze at the look on the redhead's face. Axel was…smiling?

"That's a good reason." Axel grinned at the confusion evident in the younger boy's eyes. "What do you want for dinner?" he asked, standing to rummage through the kitchen cabinets. Roxas let a small smile slip onto his face. Maybe neither of them had actually said the words, but it was understood.

"I don't know. What'd you pick up from the _store_?" he prodded. A swift smack to the head was the only response he got.

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